USDA: Little to No Precip for the Midwest in the Five-Day Outlook

USDA's Joint Ag Weather Facility says in the Corn Belt, unfavorably dry weather is returning to areas west of the Mississippi River. "Meanwhile in the eastern Corn Belt, highly beneficial showers and thunderstorms are providing limited and localized relief to drought-stressed pastures and soybeans," USDA reports.

In the West, USDA says isolated showers associated with the monsoon circulation stretch from Arizona to Montana. "Elsewhere, hot, dry weather favors crop development and fieldwork, including Northwestern small grain harvesting," USDA explains.

On the Plains, USDA says isolated showers are confined to Montana. "Hot weather across the High Plains and southern Plains is promoting fieldwork but maintaining stress on pastures and immature summer crops," USDA explains. In contrast, favorably cooler weather prevails across eastern portions of the northern and central Plains, USDA continues.

In the South, USDA says scattered showers and thunderstorms continue to benefit pastures and immature summer crops. "However, critically dry conditions in the Mid-South contrast with favorably moist conditions from the central Gulf Coast region into parts of the Southeast," USDA adds. On August 5, for example, pastureland rated very poor to poor ranged from 2% in Florida to 99% in Missouri, according to USDA.

USDA's outlook says a cold front currently crossing the Midwest will reach the East on Friday and Saturday. "Cool air in the front’s wake will cover much of the eastern half of the U.S. through week’s end," USDA reports. Meanwhile, hot weather will persist in the West, although monsoon-related showers will affect most areas except the Pacific Coast states, according to USDA. "Five-day rainfall totals will generally range from 1 to 3 inches from the lower Great Lakes region into New England, and from the central Gulf Coast into the southern Atlantic states," USDA elaborates. Little or no precipitation will occur, however, across the nation’s mid-section, according to USDA.